Professional Development Workshops
Neuroscience Beyond the Classroom: Incorporating Community-Based Learning Projects into Neuroscience Courses
Organizer/Moderator: Sarah CassellaSpeaker: Tom Fischer, Nancy Michael, Jake Kurczek
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Education
Community-based learning (CBL) allows students to apply course material to the real world, connect with communities, and explore career/vocational paths. These projects help develop neuroscientists who understand and have the skills to share neuroscience beyond the lab and medicine. This workshop will showcase diverse CBL projects from undergraduate neuroscience courses. Following the panel presentation, attendees will be provided with workflow prompts to begin building a CBL for their own course.
Working With and Working for AI
Organizer/Moderator: William Grisham, Mathew AbramsSpeaker: Amy Orsborn, Brett Benedetti, Richard Craddock, Ellen Carpenter, Srikanth Ramaswamy, Joseph Monaco
Location: MCP Room S403
Track: Career
This workshop will address the uses (and fears) of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as well as entryways into AI employment. AI is taking the academic and public imagination by storm and is changing ways of thinking about utilizing its analytic and generative power. This workshop will touch on AI applications and job opportunities that are or will be arising in this field. Speakers will address not only their employment of AI techniques but also employment opportunities in AI.
NIH: Improving the Review of Research Project Grant and Fellowship Applications
Organizer/Moderator: Bruce ReedLocation: MCP Room S403
Track: Career
This session will discuss the initiatives of NIH to improve the peer review of research project grants (RPG) and individual fellowship applications. The speaker will explain how the existing review criteria for RPGs will be reorganized to help reviewers focus on the key questions needed to assess the scientific merit of applications. The speaker will describe how the changes in the review of fellowship applications are aimed at better focusing reviewers on key assessments and reducing the influence of sponsor and institutional reputation.
Team-Based Learning in Neuroscience Education: An Interactive Demonstration and Exploration of Evidence-Based Findings and Real-World Classroom Experiences
Organizer/Moderator: Thomas Newpher, Minna NgSpeaker: Margaret Tarampi, Caroline Wilson, Nicholas Fish
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Education
Team-based learning (TBL) is a structured approach to teaching that enhances accountability and fosters connection among students, enriching classroom dynamics. It also prepares students for collaborative scientific research. The workshop offers data on improved academic outcomes with TBL in STEM courses, student testimonials, an expert's valuable insights, and an interactive TBL demonstration. By the workshop's end, attendees will have foundational tools to implement TBL in their neuroscience classroom.
Demystifying the Scholarship of Teaching
Organizer/Moderator: David DonleySpeaker: Elizabeth Leininger, Pavan Kadandale, Cristin Gavin, Monica Gaudier-Diaz, Amy Jo Stavnezer
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Education
This workshop will focus on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the scholarly approach to asking, “I wonder if the students learned anything.” SoTL involves critically assessing student learning and developing best practices. The number of SoTL publications has nearly tripled each decade, indicating a burgeoning area of scholarship. A discussion of SoTL is a relevant and timely topic that contributes to a more diverse and dedicated teaching professoriate.
International Partnerships in Neuroscience
Organizer/Moderator: Claudio Da CunhaSpeaker: RUBIA Oliveira, Eduardo Jose de Almeida Araujo, William Sanchez, Harry Steinbusch, Andre Fenton, Donita Robinson
Location: MCP Room S403
Track: Career
This workshop aims to provide information for SFN attendees on how to improve neuroscience through international collaboration. A spectrum of topics include: building successful research networks, funding for international research collaborations, engaging graduate students and young neuroscientists, cross-country dual PhD programs, challenges and advantages for PIs, and co-authorship challenges. Panelists will share insights on how international exposure and collaboration enhance a neuroscience career.
Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives: How to Enhance Inclusivity and Diverse Perspectives in an NIH Grant
Organizer/Moderator: Crystal LantzSpeaker: Ryan Richardson, Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy, Will Gray-Roncal, Jonathan Jackson, Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy, Kiku Ichihara, Linnaea Ostroff
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Diversity and Inclusion
This workshop focuses on strategies for implementing the Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) to enhance inclusivity and diverse perspectives in an NIH research project. Speakers will discuss how their funded research incorporates principles of the PEDP, detailing concrete strategies for a variety of project types and budget sizes. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss PEDP-related activities and how to best apply them to their scientific projects.
Building Bridges: LatiNeuro Workshop for Networking and Mentorship
Organizer/Moderator: Sergio Crespo-FloresSpeaker: Christian Cazares, Karina Alviña, Stephanie Correa, Almarely Berrios-Negron, Alberto Vazquez, Sergio Iniguez
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Diversity and Inclusion
This professional development workshop by Latineuro will offer attendees a unique opportunity to network with fellow neuroscientists who identify as Latino/a/e. Led by a six-person panel representing diverse perspectives across different careers in neuroscience, this session will feature a panel discussion with audience participation and interactive round table discussions, allowing for a rich exchange of experiences.
Neuroscience Departments and Programs Workshop: Neuroscience Undergraduate and Graduate Curricula and Training Programs for the Future
Organizer/Moderator: Lique CoolenSpeaker: Monica Linden, Rosalind Segal, Taralyn Tan, Robert Calin-Jageman
Location: MCP Room S403
Structuring the curriculum for undergraduate and graduate neuroscience trainees to align with training and workforce changes is critical. This timely workshop will cover the elements of neuroscience training based on core competencies, including a core curriculum, statistics education, scientific writing (including discussions around the use of generative Artificial Intelligence), and professional development to prepare trainees for multiple careers. Experts will connect these topics to tailored training for academic and non-academic career paths.
Career Advancement Through Effective Science Writing for the Public and Creating Clear, Eye-Catching Research Statements
Organizer/Moderator: Eduardo Rosa-MolinarSpeaker: Wendy Jarrett, Jim Newman, Paula Clifford
Location: MCP Room S403
Track: Research
The workshop will provide instruction on how to write research summaries for a variety of audiences, including the public. The intended audience for the workshop is early- and mid-career neuroscientists who would like to enhance their skillset by learning how to summarize their studies for funding opportunities, public programs, job applications, websites, and elsewhere.
NIH Funding Support for Neuroscience Research and Training on the Health and Well-Being of Members of LGBTQI+ Communities
Organizer/Moderator: Irene AvilaSpeaker: Christopher Barnhart, Eric Hudak, Milo Taylor, Jonathan King, Sunila Nair, David Pagliaccio
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Diversity and Inclusion
The overarching objective of this workshop is to enhance sexual & gender minority (SGM)-related research capacity in the neurosciences. The intended audience includes neuroscience faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, science administrators, and non-profit groups with research interests in the health and well-being of members of LGBTQI+ communities. This workshop will discuss NIH research funding mechanisms and provide an opportunity to meet with NIH Staff.
“Building Up the Nerve” to Develop an Effective Career Roadmap
Organizer/Moderator: Michelle Jones-LondonSpeaker: Allison White, Marguerite Matthews, Lauren Ullrich, Ana Hernandez-Reynoso, Michelle Gray, Daniel Tranel, Matthias Strangl
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Career
This workshop will provide deeper insights into helping graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty, and their mentors prepare strong career development plans. The workshop will feature advice and strategies from successful grantees and peer reviewers, with interactive activities and small group discussions facilitated by NIH staff and funders from foundation organizations.
Opening the File Drawer: Solutions to Sharing Unpublished Work Including Null Results and Small Findings
Organizer/Moderator: Benedict KolberSpeaker: Alexandra Freeman, Paul Sternberg, Stacey Winham, Megan Hagenauer
Location: MCP Room S403
Track: Research
Dive into the root causes and consequences of the “File Drawer Problem” when well-designed experiments go unpublished. Join this workshop to gain a deeper understanding of why scientists should consider opening the file drawer and learn actionable strategies to ensure that all findings contribute to the advancement of knowledge, including information on micropublications, pre-publication, and using tools to find options for publication. Panelists will provide practical knowledge on how to alleviate the guilt and unproductivity associated with abandoned, imperfect, and underutilized results.
Community for Rigor: A Tool for Teaching the Principles of Rigorous Research
Organizer/Moderator: Konrad KordingSpeaker: Gundula Bosch, Sara Gombash, Shai Silberberg, April Clyburne-Sherin, Taralyn Tan
Location: MCP Room S402
Track: Research
This workshop will demonstrate educational tools developed by the Community for Rigor (C4R), a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-funded initiative that makes free, online instruction based on the principles of rigorous research. Participants will hear remarks from the team involved in shaping the project and discuss the importance of conducting awesome and reliable neuroscience research. Then, participants will join C4R developers in group-based interactive lessons. Participants new to concepts in rigor will gain an understanding of key topics in causality and randomization techniques. Participants seeking to incorporate rigor education into their personal development, lab group conversations, or mentoring will learn how to access and utilize C4R materials to lower the barrier to doing more rigorous science in their work.
